This week’s top 5 must-know social media news for marketing and communications professionals see a lot of good work by both Google and Facebook in the effort to improve the quality of news and reporting. Twitter? Not so much. Plus, getting ready for the upcoming networking season with LinkedIn QR Codes.

A new feature is rolling out on Google Assistant. “Tell me something good” is a new experimental feature that delivers a daily dose of good news. US-based users can just say “Hey Google, tell me something good” to receive a brief news summary about people who are solving problems for our communities and our world. Finally, some good news!

In its continuing effort to clean up its act, Facebook has removed multiple misleading Pages, groups and accounts for coordinated, inauthentic behaviour. Some of this activity originated in Iran, and some originated in Russia. The take down included networks of Facebook and Instagram accounts designed to mislead others about who they are and what they are doing. As the Facebook and Instagram experiences improve for users, so too will their performances as a marketing and communications platforms.

Instagram is testing recommended posts in Feed, a new way for users to see content they may like. The recommendations are based on the people they follow and photos and videos they have liked. The trial started this week and is expected to run for several days. If it’s adopted, the feature will boost organic reach and engagement levels for brands.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has admitted that Twitter is reluctant to commit to a timetable for enacting policies aimed at curbing heated political rhetoric on the site. In an interview with CNN he said, “We have not figured this out, but I do think it would be dangerous for a company like ours… to be arbiters of truth.” Brands will follow the money. The Twitter experience has been deteriorating for years and so, Dorsey risks further alienating users with this dilly-dallying.

LinkedIn introduced QR codes a few weeks back to make it almost effortless to swap contact information and connect. As the summer winds down and the fall’s networking begins in earnest, will marketing and communications pros be scanning codes instead of exchanging business cards?

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Social Media Top Five: Twitter cuts off spammers and bots

The top 5 must-know news stories from the world of social media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google are all featured.

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Twitter's fight against spammers and bots

Feb 25, 2018

Twitter is now banning apps that allow you to simultaneously post identical content to multiple profiles or liking or retweeting from multiple accounts. The ban includes apps that schedule tweets to multiple cards too.

Google Assistant goes global

Facebook: “It's not a dislike button”

Feb 25, 2018

Have you ever wished that Facebook had a 'dislike' button? Well there could be one on the horizon. A"downvote" button that lets users flag and hide comments they deem inappropriate is being tested in the USA. It only applies to brand pages though, not personal profiles.

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Instagram takes aim at Snapchat (again)

Feb 25, 2018

Instagram is hoping to boost intimate use of Direct with privacy controls not found on Snapchat. Now users can decide how recipients can view content sent directly. Choices include one view, temporary and permanent access.